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Herzog & De Meuron’s stunning Elbphilharmonie to finally open in January

After nearly a decade filled with construction delays and controversial budget overruns, the stunning Elbphilharmonie concert hall finally nears completion in Hamburg, Germany. Designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, Elbphilharmonie’s new construction rises like an iridescent crystal atop the old industrial warehouse Kaispeicher A. The massive building—it will be the tallest inhabited building of Hamburg once complete—is set to open in early January 2017 following the scheduled end of construction this October. Keep reading to see new photographs of the shimmering Elbphilharmonie.

Set on the banks of the Elbe River on a historic port in Hamburg’s HafenCity, the massive Elbphilharmonie comprises three concert halls, a hotel, 45 private apartments, and a publicly accessible Plaza with 360-degree panoramic city views. The juxtaposition of the building’s new curvaceous glass volume with the brick-clad and blocky industrial warehouse below makes for a striking and beautiful contrast between contemporary design and the historic port. The dazzling new facade consists of 1,100 individual panes carefully shaped and marked with small basalt gray reflective dots to minimize solar heat gain and to create a shimmering effect.

The Elbphilharmonie’s crowning gem is the 2,100-seat “Grand Hall,” the largest concert hall of the three that will be detached from the rest of the building for improved soundproofing. Its towering form defines the Elbphilharmonie’s overall shape. “As a landmark visible from afar, the Elbphilharmonie will lend the horizontally oriented city an entirely new accent, symbolizing Hamburg’s foray into the new territory of the harbor area along the shores of the Elbe,” write Herzog & de Meuron. The building is slated to open to the public on January 11, 2017. Those interested in a closer glimpse of Elbphilharmonie before the opening date can take an online virtual tour.